Tracking ski



Aug. 6, 1968 R. D. POPE, JR. ET AL 3,395,411

TRACKING SKI 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 10, 1966 INVENTORJ fi/c/M/w 0.P025, JA? {4 6 44.42. d- Ii-4M:

j I ATTORN r Aug. 6, 1968 R. D. POPE, JR. ET 3,395,411

TRACKING SKI Filed Nov. 10, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mxmw INVENTORS RIC/MRO0. P086} deg,

JAN/0RD L. MUG/{T zrudmfa rarm t ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,395,411 TRACKING SKI Richard D. Pope, Jr., and Sanford L. Faught,Winter Haven, Fla., assignors to Cypress Gardens Skis, Inc., CypressGardens, Fla.

Filed Nov. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 593,474 6 Claims. (Cl. 9-310) ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A ski having a plurality of longitudinally disposedgrooves on its running surface, the grooves being spaced from thelongitudinal center of the ski and having relatively wide planingsurfaces and relatively narrow reaction surfaces disposed approximatelyat right angles to each other, the reaction surfaces preventing sideslipping during use of the ski.

This invention relates to health and recreation, and more particularlyto skis of the types used on water and snow.

In the sport of skiing the participant frequently is required to executeturns or change direction. Various competitive games require the skierto maneuver around objects and points and at varying speeds. Thus inslalom skiing, performed on one ski, a high degree of control isrequired in order to execute proper turns and prevent spilling. Thentoo, in water ski jumping it is necessary to make a turn at high speedjust prior to going up the ramp in order to achieve the speed requiredfor the jump. Similarly in snow skiing the participant must executesharp turns at relatively high speed.

Various devices for controlling the skis and reducing sidewise slip onturns have been proposed. However, some of these have required theadding of appendages to the skis and the various means employed havepermitted the achieving of only a modicum of control.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a skihaving grooves arranged therein of such nature that control of the skiis substantially improved, the invention being useful with various typesof skis.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of a ski in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 2, a plan view of the bottom of the ski of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3, a fragmentary plan view to an enlarged scale of a ski bottom;

FIG. 4, a section to an enlarged scale on the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5, a fragmentary section illustrating the angular relationship ofthe grooves;

FIGS. 6 and 7, sections similar to FIG. 4 of modifications;

FIG. 8, a section similar to FIG. 4 illustrating the invention appliedto a jumping ski;

FIG. 9, a fragmentary perspective illustrating a manner of use; and,

FIG. 10, an enlarged section on the line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

Briefly stated the ski of the present invention is of the elongated typedesigned for high speed movement through water or on snow. It has aplurality of grooves on its relatively fiat running surface, the groovesbeing spaced from the center and having relatively wide planing surfacesand relatively narrow reaction surfaces disposed at approximately rightangles to each other, the reaction surfaces inclined outwardly at asmall acute angle to the perpendicular in order that the grooves mayhold against the water or snow and increase the tracking ability of theski.

With further reference to the drawings, the ski has an elongated mainportion 10 and an upwardly curved front tip portion 11. The uppersurface 12 is substantially fiat for the reception of one or more footbinding or retaining members 13.

The ski illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is tapered from front to rear as iscustomary with a slalom ski. However, the invention is applicable toskis which may not be tapered, such as aquatic jumping skis and thoseused in the snow.

The underside of the main portion of the ski has a generally fiatrunning surface 15 with an imaginary center line 15'. In order toincrease the tracking ability of the ski a plurality of grooves 16 areprovided in the running surface. In the illustration of FIGS. 24, threegrooves are provided on each side, a total of six. However, as indicatedin FIGS. 6 and 7, greater and lesser numbers of grooves may be employed,the selection depending on the performance desired.

The grooves are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ski in order topromote tracking in that direction.

A typical ski such as illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 has a width across itswidest portion of approximately 6 /2 inches and a thickness ofapproximately /6 inch. From the center line 15 to the inner edge 19 ofthe first groove a distance of "Ms inch has been found appropriate.

Each of the grooves has a relatively wide planing surface or wall 20 andrelatively narrow wall or reaction surface 21, the walls being disposedat an angle to each other of approximately 90, forming outer edges orpeaks 22 and inner valleys 23. A satisfactory dimension for the widthacross the outer edges or peaks of each groove is approximately /2 inch.As indicated in FIG. 5, the relatively wide walls 20 are inclined towardthe center of the ski at an angle of approximately with a plane whichextends perpendicularly to the flat portion of the ski andlongitudinally of the ski (or at approximately 20 with the flat runningsurface of the ski), and the relatively narrow walls are inclinedoutwardly from the center of the ski at an angle of approximately 20 tosaid imaginary plane. The depth of the valleys is approximately inch.

In the use of the ski as indicated in FIG. 10, the lower side which ison the inside of a turn is naturally inclined which permits therelatively narrow reaction surfaces 21 of the grooves to catch the wateror snow and thereby reduce sideslipping and increase the ability of theski to hold in the proper tracking direction. The ski requires lesseffort than with ordinary skis for turning, tracks better in smooth orrough water, and bounces less when cutting across a wake. Further, nodisadvantage occurs when used by either a left or a right footed skier.

While the dimensions and the angles stated have been found to performsatisfactorily, it is anticipated that slight variations may be made,but with diminishing of the skis tracking ability.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may bemade in the invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which isillustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but onlyas indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A ski comprising an elongated ski body having an upturned forward endand a generally flat running portion, the said running portion havinggroove means spaced from and extending parallel to the longitudinalcenterline of said running portion, said groove means having peaks andvalleys, each groove means comprised of a relatively wide wall and arelatively narrow wall, said walls disposed at approximately 90 to eachother, said relatively wide walls being inclined downwardly and inwardlytoward the centerline of the ski at an angle of approximately 70 with animaginary plane which extends perpendicularly and longitudinally of therunning portion of the ski, said narrow walls inclined outwardly at anangle of approximately 20 to said plane.

2. The invention of claim 1, said groove means comprised of a pluralityof grooves.

3. The invention of claim 2 in which from two to five grooves areemployed on each side of the centerline.

4. The invention of claim 1, in which each of the grooves has a width ofapproximately the maximum width of the ski, and the valleys have a depthapproximately A the thickness of the ski.

5. The invention of claim 1, in which a flat surface of approximately 4the width of the ski is provided between said groove means along thelongitudinal centerline of the running surface.

6. A ski comprising an elongated ski body having an upturned forward endand a generally fiat running portion, the said running portion havinggroove means spaced from an extending parallel to the longitudinalcenterline of said running portion, said groove means comprised of arelatively wide wall and a relatively narrow wall, said relatively widewall being inclined upwardly at a relatively small angle from therunning surface of the ski and said relatively narrow wall beinginclined at a steep angle from the running portion of the ski, wherebywhen the ski is running at an angle the grooves tend to engage thematerial through which the ski is running in order to minimizesideslipping.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,289,227 12/1966 Kelly 9-310FOREIGN PATENTS 373,494 3/1907 France. 1,285,809 4/1961 France.1,108,599 6/ 1961 Germany.

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

P. E. SAUBERER, Assistant Examiner.

